FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 24, 2008

Columbus, OH -- Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher today announced that the Ohio Department of Development will host the Ohio Global Summit and Reception on May 8 at the William C. Green Building in downtown Columbus, with Robert A. McDonald, Chief Operating Officer at the Procter & Gamble Company, as the keynote speaker. The Summit takes place during a visit by the managing directors of Ohio's 14 global trade offices from May 5 - 9 to participate in a series of meetings and presentations throughout Ohio on various trade and investment topics. Lt. Governor Fisher also will provide welcoming remarks at the Summit.

"The Ohio Global Summit and the managing directors' visit is a valuable chance for companies to hear about international trade and investment opportunities," said Lt. Governor Fisher, who also serves as Director of the Ohio Department of Development. "Learning about new trends in emerging and established foreign markets is vital to a thriving business, whether a company is new to trade or has already carved out a global niche for its products."

The Ohio Global Summit will feature afternoon seminars centered around the theme, "Exporting to the World," and will end with a networking reception held in the Nationwide Atrium, located adjacent to the Global Summit site at the William C. Green Building.

The purpose of the week-long visit is for the managing directors to travel throughout the State to meet with Ohio companies and share information about current export opportunities in their respective markets. Panel discussions, networking receptions, and one-on-one meeting opportunities are scheduled for Athens, Columbus, West Chester, Findlay, Independence, and Youngstown.

"Our managing directors bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, and business savvy to the table every time they visit Ohio," said Deborah Scherer, Director of the Ohio Department of Development’s Global Markets Division. "We hope that the Ohio Global Summit and presentations by our managing directors provide important information for companies attempting to break into -- or strengthen their position in -- the global marketplace."

Registration is required for all events including the Ohio Global Summit. To register, see full details on all events, or request a meeting with any of the managing directors during their visit, please go to www.development.ohio.gov/globalmarkets, or contact the Global Markets Division at 800-848-1300, ext 6-5017. The registration deadline is Friday, May 2, and space is limited.

The Global Markets Division promotes the export of Ohio products and services to strengthen Ohio's economy, advance its leadership position in the global marketplace, and promote Ohio as a location for foreign direct investment. The Global Markets Division has 51 people in its Columbus headquarters and worldwide operations. The Global Markets Division has international offices in: Sydney, Australia; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Brussels, Belgium; Săo Paulo, Brazil; Toronto, Canada; Santiago, Chile; Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, People's Republic of China; New Delhi, India; Tel Aviv, Israel; Tokyo, Japan; Mexico City, Mexico; and Johannesburg, South Africa.

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Media contacts: Kelly Schlissberg at (614) 466-4133 or Kimber Perfect at (614) 466-2609